A Burst Of Beautiful Colors At Bel-Air Bay Club
Their relationship started on the value deck of the Oakland A's infamous stadium, best known for its "old-school charm." Alex, off a couple of seasons living and working in Alabama was working for the A's media department, and Tessa was working her fun job - running around with the mascot and camera crew. On this day in 2014, Tessa was giving away an autographed baseball bat to a kid. From there, Alex came over and said hi briefly. Despite never running into each other before, they continued to bump into each other during that homestand. Shortly thereafter, Tessa solo trekked around Alaska and Alex left for Melbourne, Australia. It never seemed as if their paths would cross again, but they continued to stay in touch. Everyday. For three straight months. Fast forward eight years, four states, a dog, and an appearance on HGTV's HouseHunters later, the bride and groom got engaged on January 8, 2022 on the beach in Corona Del Mar, California, a special place for the family where they celebrate holidays and picnic often. After a spa day for her birthday, Tessa arrived at the beach with a perfect sunset, a blanket and bed of roses in front of her, and a sign on their dog saying “Mom, will you marry dad?" The bride said yes, the couple and family celebrated on the beach and then finished off the night at karaoke, where the bride's friends flew in and surprised her.
The bride's Galia Lahav Maya wedding dress was a mermaid-style gown with 3D embroidered flowers over silk tulle. The ivory cathedral veil was from Modern Dress in Iowa, intentionally purchased as a nod to the many states the couple has lived in. Lastly, her Ines Di Santo feather-trimmed reception dress came right off the runway and was rushed from the White Dress in Corona Del Mar, CA, just steps away from where they got engaged.
The bride worked with stylist AISLE to create a lookbook of floor-length dresses in shades of green that could be personalized to the bridesmaids’ personal tastes. Some of the favorite brands were from Dessy Group, Lulus, and Reformation. One bridesmaid (the groom’s sister) unfortunately spilled on her dress just a couple hours before the wedding. The day was saved when one of the other gals had an extra 'Show Me Your Mumu' dress with her as an emergency back up!
The groom’s black wool tuxedo was from Suitsupply, along with sleek black Ferragamo loafers and custom cufflinks made just for the occasion. His 11 groomsmen were simply asked to “wear a black tux with a white shirt” and they all understood the assignment. Many of them wore their own wedding tuxes, while some bought them off Amazon.
The Bel Air Bay Club handled the catering for the evening. We had some fun with the wedding menu - there was a poke station during cocktail hour, amid the tray passed appetizers. Mr & Mrs Creamery contributed a Boba station, as well, which was a very playful surprise for the guests to enjoy. Later in the night, the In-N-Out truck rolled up, WOWing the out of town East-Coasters, whom some, had never had it before!
Our florals were a statement; bright and colorful at the beginning of January for a breath of fresh air. Joy of Bloom Floralshad us speechless with her creativity and beautiful designs. Stationary and signage, from the giant escort wall to the tiny details like the name cards, were from Beau Paperie.
Mr & Mrs Creamery designed an elegant, smooth white 2-tier cake, with funfetti inside - as beautiful as it was delicious! The colorful florals added a special touch that really gave it the 'WOW' factor and kept everything on theme. They also provided boba tea, push up ice cream desserts, and light up cotton candy for the guests. There was such a fun assortment that was fulfilling for guests when the sweet tooth hit!
The ceremony started with the talented violinist Ben Hoyt who played Lana Del Rey's 'Young and Beautiful' as the bride walked down the aisle with both parents by her side. At the end of the night, after all the guests had left, the bride and groom had one private last dance to 'Colors' by the Black Pumas, a song special to them because they had seen the band live.
Always Allegra & Beau Paperie designed an escort wall that brought the East Coast guests a bit more understanding of exactly where they were in California - right on the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Our bride knew she wanted a disco ball moment, yet we were stirring our brains around how to make that piece fall into place with the overall scape. We came up with a wall with a motorized disco ball hanging from it - an original title we've never seen before, and a take-away for all guests to walk away with. The motel keychain had "Party on PCH" engraved on one side, while the guests' names and table numbers were on the other. The escort wall read "Party on Pacific Coast Highway"
While hosting the poke station through the Bel Air Bay Club's catering, we added a little twist to the offering. We provided Chinese take-out containers for the poke to be served in which was a quiet nod to Tessa's culture and background - representing double happiness. Uniting two as one in such a meaningful way!
